Bitter Sweet Exile
by tiCocoChanelle
Summary: After saving Henry from Neverland and defeating Pan nothing happened. Regina succeeded in stopping the dark curse. And everything turned out alright. Well, not quite. Or at least not for her. Henry is slowly but surely leaving her. For once in her life, everything seems to go in the same way, but it's not hers. She's banished and on her way out maybe she will find redemption, love?


After saving Henry from Neverland and defeating Pan nothing happened. Regina succeeded in stopping the dark curse. And everything turned out alright. Well, not quite. Or at least not for her. Henry is slowly but surely leaving her.

It started with him taking some of his stuff to be "more comfortable" in his other house, 'It'll be more easy that way Madam Mayor", had said Miss Swann. And she hadn't mind at first, since it was just a few clothes and two books. Then, it was more because school was back and he needed his uniforms and stuff. Regina had known it was lies bus she stay quiet, wanting to enjoy each second of when Henry would visits her. " It's okay, I'm gonna call you, you'll see. You won't even miss me", that's what Henry had said getting enthusiastically in the yellow. She had answered him with a smile, on his face- a bitter one. At that moment she knew it would be a long time until she sees him again. She didn't know yet, she'll never see his bounced cheeks again.

Eventually, the calls, the messages stopped. She let a chuckle at it. It was the 12th message she left to him. Received, not open nor read. But soon deleted she guesses.

For once, in her life everything seems to go on the same way even though it was not hers.

 _Dear Diary,_

 _It's been a long time since I wrote to you, huh? You saw me through it all. My childhood, my teens years. You knew Daniel, my love… and his cruel fate. So you know about the King, the castle...Snow. Everything that happened there is horrible. And I thought I would never be more sad or depressed after what I lived._

 _But my greatest pain, my biggest sorrow is Henry, my son. Don't get it twisted, I love you. He's perfect. He always has been and always will. It's because I love him that... Knowing that he doesn't love me, breaks my heart. I cry every night alone in this big house; at the thought that not only he doesn't love me but also he hates me. My own son, my innocent little prince sees me as a monster so maybe I am. I love him so much, I feel him in my blood, in my heart and soul. When he's ill, I'm too- worried sick. When he cries, I'm sad. It was always that way. Always. So when he hates me, I hate myself too._

 _The election for the position of Mayor is in two weeks, I know I'll lose and I don't know what will happen to me then. Will the people hurt me? They surely will try! I received a great amount of threats letter. I'm just happy, Henry will never see them since he's never at home with me. Maybe he would have agree with them. I dream that he joins them and kills me. The last thing I see, my son's face bending over mine, while they spit over me and he holds my hand smiling, then he drops it, I falls and he laughs and turns away congratulating his mother._

 _Anyway, I have to go. I still have a job to until tomorrow. Paperwork is not going to fill out my itself._

The next day, as Regina has expected, she wasn't the mayor anymore. To be honest, it happened two weeks earlier that what she expected. People get into her office, furiously loudly and announced her that she has been dismissed.

" _Get the hell out of here!"_

" _You're not the mayor anymore"_

" _We ain't afraid of ya, Evil queen!"_

" _Yes, you ain't scary"_

But they were obviously lying, they expected of her to disagree, they brought weapon, and the fairies were very tensed. They get even more scared when she slowly get up, gathered her things and left the room. She took the stairs to the parking and realised other people was outside waiting for her to do something so they could attack her. She smiled, knowing that she will never be accepted nor forgiven. Miss Swann and her family were side to her car. She looked for a sigh of Henry but he wasn't there.

" _Madam Mayor...I"_ She cutted the blond immediately.

" _Is Henry alone?_

" _No, I… he's at the library with...friends"_

That was enough for her. Henry was safe, away from all the fuss.

" _Not that it is your business"_ , added Charming with his pathetic proud face.

" _Well, I'll be happy to close that little conversation if you would just step aside from my car"_ , she didn't want to use magic but god how she crave to push them away.

" _Listen, Miss Mayor…."_

" _I'm not anymore, please get away from my car so I can leave!"_

" _About that, she should follow the laws and wait for the election in two weeks",_ Emma said with a shy voice. Not afraid of her reaction but of her parents' reactions.

" _Emma! No way"_ , god how she hated the high tone of Snow!

" _Well, Miss Swan thanks but no thanks"_ Regina was getting really annoyed by this UnCharming-family-meeting around her car.

She finally get in her car, not feeling more in safety with all of them now around her.

" _Now that she's not mayor anymore! She has to pay for what she did to us! She needs to pay"_

She decided to leave, startting her car, not wanting to see the excitement on the people's faces about how they should punished or kills her.

She went to sleep with an uneasy feeling, something bad was going to happen.

She wakes up the next day, and finds a letter in her enclosed garden. She picks it, surprised and goes back to the kitchen.

 _You're gonna die for what you did to me, you won't fool anyone now! I'm gonna destroy your pretty face and body so that they could fit to what you are inside. A monster. I dream of the day I will stab you deep, I shall make you cry and kneel to me, down in your dirty blood!_

Regina is actually pretty used to it even if she feels sick reading this but what she reads next really scared her.

 _I say let's cut the boy too! He's been raised by the Evil Queen, he has to die too, you're contagious, he must be evil too! I shall bring him next to your cadaver, my own spoils! Or shall I kill him first before your eyes, as your knights killed my people! I want you down to me! I wish to feel you below me, as I spit on you, humiliate that nice face and grin to the boy as I cut him deep! I want your blood all over me, the boy's head on my kitchen table while I feed my dogs wit your remains! I can't wait for that day! And I know it'll be soon!_

It's in those moment that she's happy Henry is not with her! But she also wants to have him close because she knows she'll protect him! That letter is anonymous but most of them aren't. People don't feel ashamed to sign their name, they know she won't do anything, there's too many of them.

Two days later, she hears them scream and sees the light outside of her house. She's afraid and alone. Will they get in even though she has been nothing but obedient to their request? She gave back, hearts, money, everything they wanted it.

The next morning she poofs herself into her office and finds that it had tremendously changed. And also the whole UnCharming Clan, plus Graham and the pirate mascot!

" _I just came to take my stuff!"_ Regina says quick and starts to do so. She's looking for a boxe.

" _That's fine that you're here, we need to talk to you as the new mayors of this town we…. you need to be punished for what you did! Your trial will start next week, but for know you'll be lock in a cell. Sheriff Graham please!"_

Her own lover takes her to the cell, his hands so familiar on her. She had gave him his heart back and had apologised but it wasn't enough! Nothing will ever be! He doesn't even look at her as he throw her and lock her away. So much for being nice! She knows she can easily leaves, she has power after all but what's the point. People would be too happy to hunt her down, she won't give them a reason to do so.

She stays five days, in a cell refusing everything not that there were much. Only water and some disgusting food.

It's the afternoon, she guesses the sun slowly going down in the sky while she's in the cell.

The news mayors arrived, followed by the sherrifs, Hook, Sidney, the fairies and some others.

That's it, she thinks.

" _We, the new mayors of this town had decided of your sentence, so a trial won't be necessary. Your sentence is the immediate banishment of our town"_

They knew that no one had tried to leave town, they could die since they didn't have any real existence in this world with the curse being broken.

" _Have you a last request?"_ says Snow her eyes full of disdain.

" _Yes, I wish to see my son one last time and gives him a proper good bye"_ , she talks really low and slow, this was a broken woman before them, already down, but they didn't care.

" _We'll see but you have to stop using your magic"_

" _I promised to Henry that I stop to use magic, so I won't be using it"_

" _Good_ " says Charming and they all leave.

In the night, she wakes up at the noises. People are trying to break in and they succeed it! Furious people gets in the room, they search for the key. Not to free her obviously, no to let her out but to get in. Suddenly, Graham comes in and asks:

" _What are you doing here!" ,_ people answers with such violent tones.

" _We want justice"_

" _After all, she did she's just banish"_

" _She killed people for god sake"_

" _How can they release a monster"_

" _The mayors had decided it, this is the justice you're seeking",_ her heart beats faster of relievement because no she doesn't love Graham, but she likes him and seems to do, he's defending her, despite everything and she's thankful for it.

" _Sherif, she used you too! Don't you want a real revenge!"_

" _Yes, that's right! You should understand it hunter! I say blood for blood! Who's with me?!"_

" _Blood for blood! Blood for blood! Blood for blood!"_

And this time her heart beats faster of pain because Graham moves. He was before her cell, a sign of protection but here he stands with them.

" _If that's what you want well by all mean, you'll need this"_

He gives them the key, and a wave of anxiety hits her, she starts to step back because now nothing can save her, she swore to her son she won't do it but she's gonna die.

Before she can think more, she's grab by a leg and pulls outside of her cell, she falls. People punch her in stomach, she receives strokes of a cane she thinks in her head. Everything is so messed up, with everyone trying to beat her in such a tiny place.

She thinks of Henry to overcome what's happening. His smile, sweet and smart. His face bounced and so cute. His little voice, when he calls her "mama", when he used to love her. His eyes, so bright, so him. Even his baby smell, as they cuddled for hours.

Suddenly, she sees a bright light. _This is it? I thought it would be….darker! Considering my evil past._ But she's in pain so she must be alive.

She appears him her bed, afraid and bruised but safe for now. She doesn't have the strength or the will to move.

It's night again, the Charming and Blue and the other appear at her house, she goes downstairs, they don't seem to care what have happened to her. They don't ask neither.

" _This is a potion. It will release you from your dark magic!"_ says Blue, and Regina hates her, hates it but stays quiet.

" _We won't let you go in another realm with all your dark power! You'll never change we can hurt you kill other people!"_

" _It's better for everyone if you're without them!_

She finally talks: _" And then…. You'll let me talk to my son, uh?_

She can't help to sound desperate, after all she is.

" _Yes."_

" _You promise?"_ Most of them seem offended that she would even ask so much, Snow, Emma, Graham and Rumple don't look at her, they all look at the floor. She should have know better, but she didn't at that time, so she agrees.

She drinks it, and she feels like she's dying like somebody tears her apart. The Mayor left and say they'll be back soon with Henry.

Regina takes all her strength remaining and pick up a few things. She had prepared it a fews days ago. All the things about Henry, pictures, baby clothes, baby blanket, cuddly toys everything she could find, she use a spell on it so it would be protected, and conserved, then she gathered them in a small medallion with her magic. When she'll need them all she will had to do is to push the pictures and they will turn back to normal. It's a shrinking spell.

She takes the medallion and hides it. She falls in an agitated sleep on the couch

Regina is practically dragged out her house in the middle of the night. People grabs her and put her down on her porch. Some punch her, other pull and push her. They fight with each other to beat her, to scratch her, to bite her, to hit her. Somebody punch her nose, and she starts to bleed. She tried to remain still because her fighting back won't help her but blood runs to her face, leaks in eyes and she can't help it. The fighter in her tells her to fight back.

But, it changes nothing, it's aggravating it. It's dark, it's blurry. She sees furious faces and hungry hands.

They rip her clothes out of her, tearing her skin, they spit on her and she receives other fluids that she prefers not to acknowledge. A man sit on her torso, and looks her right in the eyes while he starts to touch her.

" _Told ya, ya'd be below me your majesty! Then the boys"_ It's him. The man who threaten Henry, she hates him so she gives him a head-butt. It hurts like hell but it hurts him more so she's happy. After a few second, he's throw away and another takes his place.

The atmosphere is heavy, full with lust, anger, fury. She can't breathe.

She hears Rumple voice, doesn't hear what he says but then she's moving. They drag her once again, this time to the timeline. On her way, resident are both side of the road like guard of honor. They throw things at her, rocks, wood, cutlery. Apples. They spit or urinate on her way as she pass by so she walks in. Screaming at her, Insulting her. The row get bigger and bigger with haters of her.

They touch her breasts, her belly, her legs everywhere they can reach while she's dragged around.

At the time line, she's dropped, she's so numb and exhausted she can't stand so she falls face to the ground. Behind her, the row still touching her, with sticks, arrows, canes, woods.

Before her, Snow and Charming in the center, on the left side the fairies, Rumple, Leroy.

On the right side, Swan, Hook, Graham, Archie, Granny.

Somebody pushes her down and start to whip her back. She screams at first and then she's left with no voice. The man stops give his whip to somebody else and goes before her. It's Sydney, his hands on her leg. He laughs and says : _" Even now you're beautiful! Even now you're the fairest of them all! Funny!"_

She blacks out for some time, only hearing scrap of the talk.

" _I, the Blue Fairy chase away the dark magic and this vile creature of our live…._

 _I, the Dark One dispel the Evil Queen of Storybrook and the Enchanted Forest_

 _We, The Mayors damn the monster, the Evil Queen, a murderer, a traitor, a witch, guilty of high treason against us and our people._

 _Somebody who doesn't deserve to live...to breathe….or to stay among us"_

The stroke of the whip seem to give rhythm to the speech. Like a song. The song of her dead.

" _I, the Savior, daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming, granddaughter of the King Leopold banish you away from our live, our lands and our people. You shall never come back on penalty of death if you would._

 _If anyone of our land see you you shall be executed._

 _If you ever come back, you shall be…._ _ **EXECUTED!**_

The crown is replying with so much madness. This is insane.

 _If you try to communicate with any of us, you shall be..._ _ **EXECUTED!**_

 _If you ever attempt to the safety of our kingdom, you shall be…._ _ **EXECUTED!**_

 _You are not an enemy of the crown, if ever a people of us decide to kill you, he shall be thank for his loyalty to our kings and his kingdom._

Suddenly the silence. No one talks and some people in front of her still won't look at her. Rumple, Swan, Snow, Graham, Archie, Belle, Hook.

" _A last sentence."_ says David

" _You promised me that I could say goodbye to my son"_

Once again the silence, Regina looks at Emma, she would have crawl to her if she could. Emma couldn't stand her staring and turn her head toward her mother, who suddenly step back;

" _We, the mayor decided that you didn't deserve it! Haven't you traumatized the child enough!"_

With her last breathes she replies: _"But I gave up my power, I'm a defenceless and vulnerable and I did so I could see my son one last time"_ Rumple looks up at her suddenly but then turn again.

" _He's not your son, he's Emma's son, my grandson and nothing to you. Like you surely mean nothing to him. Now, you're banish to the eternal damnation where you can find your fellow!"_

Blue recites the spell, but she couldn't hear, she feels her body being move by magic but she can't really feel. Her son! They lied! She wishes with all she has left he will hear her last goodbye to him, he will know that she always loved him, that she gave up her magic because she loves him! That he's the reason why she lived, her most precious gift, her prince.

Everything around her is black, she doesn't know if her eyes are open or closed. Where is she? Is she dead?

Eventually, she lets herself sink into the darkness.


End file.
